Data storage devices (DSDs), such as disk drives and solid state drives, may interface with a host through a cable having a SATA connector at the device side. At the host side, the cable may comprise a similar SATA connector, or a non-SATA connector such as a USB connector and a bridge referred to as a dongle. The dongle comprises circuitry for implementing a SATA/USB protocol conversion that enables a USB host to communicate with the SATA device. However, using a dongle to implement the SATA/USB protocol conversion increases the cost of the cable.